In Her Own Time
by Herochick007
Summary: A broken time turner, a crush that becomes more, and an ending that will leave one of them in tears. Hermione Granger falls back in time and meets a fifteen year old Minerva McGonagall.


**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter**

**This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

**Winter Funfair**

**Southern Funfair – Magical Mistletoe – Hermione/Minerva McGonagall**

**Northern Funfair – Build a Snowman – step 4 decorating - (action) Crying**

**Word Count: 2136**

The small sound of shattering glass filled Hermione's ears as the world fell around her. Unable to cope with the temporal stress, her mind blacked out leaving her unconscious as she fell to the ground. The impact startled her into responding and she opened her eyes only to see a bright blue sky where there had previously been a stone ceiling.

"Are ye alright?" a girl's voice yelled. Hermione found she couldn't move her head, or any other part of her body without extreme pain. The sound of running footsteps soon reached her. At first, all Hermione saw was a pair of mossy green eyes. Slowly the rest of the young witch's face came into focus. Hermione blinked in shock. The witch standing over her, with a worried expression, appeared to be a very young Professor McGonagall.

"Don't move, I'm going to get Madame Abbott. She's our nurse, stay here," Minerva stated darting off again. Hermione watched her, moving only her eyes, as the rest of her still ached. How far had she gone? She remembered falling, the time turner on her neck swinging wildly, the sound of broken glass. The time turner must have broken.

"She's over here, Madame. I saw her fall from the sky. She must have been flying on a broom and lost control," Minerva's voice said. Hermione could feel her presence. Soon another witch, this one much older and reminding Hermione slightly of Hannah Abbott was standing over her. She felt herself being levitated into the air.

"You've suffered a bad fall, Miss. I'm going to bring you to the infirmary to do a few scans and make sure nothing's broken. Can you tell me your name?"

"Hermione, Hermione Granger," Hermione stated. She wasn't sure what else she could say. If Professor McGonagall was a teenager, then Dumbledore wasn't headmaster and it was unlikely he would be able to help her get back to her own time. She racked her brain trying to remember who had been headmaster during this time period.

A slightly jolt caused Hermione to whimper as she was placed on a bed in the infirmary. She could feel the diagnostic spells being cast.

"Good news, no broken bones!" Madame Abbott announced. Hermione sighed in slight relief. It still didn't explain the agony of moving. "Your body has had a shock though, Miss Granger. I recommend a pain potion and rest. Here you go, drink this."

Hermione felt the lip of a bottle pressed against her lips. She recognized the taste of pain potion and happily sipped it down. A few seconds later, she could feel her eyes closing as her body started subcoming to sleep.

"Her robes are completely different."

"Where did she come from? Is she going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine in time. I think, though we should send for Headmaster Dippet. He might have some idea who she is?"

"I'll run and fetch him, Madame," Minerva stated taking a long lingering look at the now sleeping Hermione. She couldn't help but notice the Gryffindor tie around the girl's neck.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione's eyes slowly opened and she found her bedside surrounded by people. She recognized Madame Abbott, the young McGonagall, but she didn't know the man standing next to them. She could easily figure out this must be Professor Dippet, the headmaster.

"Is it morning?" she asked slowly realizing that most of the pain had subsided and she could move again.

"It is, Miss Granger, and I have a few questions for you, that is if you're up to answering them?"

Hermione nodded slightly.

"Where did you come from? Miss McGonagall said she saw you fall from the sky."

"I'm not sure, I think... there was an incident with a broken time turner, sir," she stated. There was no point in lying, besides, she was horrid at it.

"How far did you come?"

"I don't know, I was a third year at Hogwarts," Hermione said whispering the year so only headmaster Dippet could hear it. His eyes widened slightly. "There's no way for me to get home, is there?" she asked.

"Don't give up hope yet, Miss Granger. We might be able to figure out a way to reverse what happened and return you to your own time. In the meanwhile, I see no reason you can not continue your studies here at Hogwarts. I am to believe that you were sorted into Gryffindor during your own time?"

"Yes, sir," she answered.

"Very well, Miss McGonagall here is also a Gryffindor, in her fifth year. She will help you get acclimated to this year, correct, Miss McGonagall?"

"Yes, sir. I didn't have a chance to introduce myself, I'm Minerva."

"Hermione."

"Does she need to stay here or is she being released?" Minerva asked. "Because if we're to get to breakfast on time, we should be going."

"She may attend breakfast, and we'll see about getting her some proper robes."

"I'll see if any of the girls have a spare set," Minerva stated helping Hermione off the bed. Hermione smiled slightly wondering how this girl would grow to become the Professor McGonagall she knew.

"I do hope you know your way around a bit, you said you're from the future?"

"Yes, very far it appears, and no, I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything."

"Just one little thing?" Minerva asked hopefully.

"Depends, what one little thing?" Hermione asked wondering if she could warn Minerva about everything that would happen. This was before the first war, what if... No, terrible things happened to wizards who messed with time. She couldn't risk it.

"Do we know each other?"

"Yes, we know each other in the future," Hermione answered. There was no way that little bit of information could hurt anything. Minerva smiled.

"Wonderful! Here we are, the Great Hall just in time for breakfast," Minerva announced. Hermione followed her wondering why Minerva thought it was a good thing they knew each other in future. They'd barely even met.

"Everyone, this is Hermione Granger, she's a third year transfer student and she'll be joining Gryffindor house for the time being," Minerva announced taking a seat at the table. Hermione slid into the empty chair next to her. "Please, keep your questions to a minimum, Hermione's tired from arriving late yesterday and is still adjusting," she added giving Hermione a wide smile. Hermione returned it wondering why she'd never noticed the sparkle in Minerva's eyes, maybe it was because she didn't make a habit of crushing on her teachers?

"Good morning, Hermione. I'm Abigale Prewett, this is Henri Shaquik, and that's Roman Willis," one of the girls said pointing out people. Hermione nodded to each one. She wondered if she would remember these names. It was so different, but at the same time, the same. Part of her felt a slight twinge of sadness. It was very possible she'd lost her whole world. They would never know what had happened to her. She hoped Harry and Ron would be alright without her. Minerva noticed Hermione's change in mood and gently touched her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Hermione. You'll be fine here," she whispered. "I'll make sure of it."

Hermione felt something stir in her chest, a strange feeling, like butterflies hatching and flying around. The idea that even though she'd just met her, Minerva liked her. Hermione wondered why she was so ready to accept her, but the idea of having a friend, a real friend, offset any strangeness of the idea.

"I wish I could go to classes with you, but I'll help you if you need help with the homework," Minerva stated walking Hermione to her first class of the day. Hermione had been lucky, her bag had somehow managed to travel with her and she had her wand.

"Thank you, I've usually got a pretty good grasp on things, but I'd love to study with someone who actually cares about their grades."

"I was almost placed in Ravenclaw," Minerva admitted.

"Me too," Hermione said softly. "But in the end, the hat put my in Gryffindor."

"Same, but I think it was right. Besides, if I was in Ravenclaw, I couldn't help you find your way."

"I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yes, I'll see you then," Minerva agreed. Hermione smiled at her as she walked into the charms classroom. She couldn't help but watch Minerva walk away. She also couldn't help but notice that the slightly older girl had a nicely shaped behind. Hermione quickly dismissed that thought. This was the woman who would become her teacher, her mentor. There was no room for this nonsense, besides, there was still a slight chance she might be able to go back home.

HMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

Minerva slipped into the library. She knew Hermione couldn't stay here, she knew too much. There was too much at stake somewhere. Slowly she stepped into the restricted section of the library. There was a book here, she was certain of it. Her fingers traced the spines of the books. There it was.

"The Time Lord's Guide," she read pulling the book from the shelf. She'd seen this volume before, when she'd been looking for something else. Idly, she'd flipped through it, intrigued by the idea of time travel. She'd always known it was possible. How could it not be? She opened the book and found the exact passage she'd hoped was here. Yes, there was a way to return Hermione, but would it be so horrible, so selfish if she wanted Hermione to stay?

"Hermione," Minerva whispered looking over at the sleeping form in the bed next to hers. There hadn't been any room in the third year dorm, so Hermione had been placed in with Minerva.

`"Hmm?" Hermione asked yawning. It had been nearly two weeks since Hermione had fallen from the sky.

"I was wondering, the Yule Ball is coming up and third years can go if asked by someone older."

"Yes?" Hermione replied wondering, hoping, that Minerva was about to ask her. The idea of Minerva's arms around her waist, her hands touching... It had taken most of the first week, but Hermione had managed to separate Minerva from Professor McGonagall, a task she was very happy she'd managed to accomplish.

"I don't have a date yet, and I was wondering if, maybe, you'd like to go together?"

"As friends?" Hermione clarified hoping beyond hope. Her crush hadn't gone away like she'd thought it would, but instead... instead she wondered if Minerva's lips were as soft as they looked.

"Actually, I was asking as my date?"

"Yes," Hermione answered happily. The idea of them sweeping across the dance floor made Hermione's heart flutter.

In the dark, Minerva smiled. One date with Hermione. One night and then, then she'd send her back. That wasn't too selfish, was it? If she was going to end up brokenhearted, she'd rather do it on her own terms. There was no way in possible way this could work. That her and Hermione could work. She'd come to that conclusion a while back, right after she'd found the book. Hermione had to be returned to her own time line.

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

The lights sparkled as Hermione and Minerva swept across the dance floor. They'd opted to wearing matching gowns in different colors. Minerva's was green and Hermione's red. Slowly the evening faded into night.

"Let's get some air," Minerva suggested trying to keep the sadness from her voice.

"Sure, it's a nice night," Hermione agreed taking Minerva's hand as they left the Great Hall and strolled out on to the grounds.

"Hermione, there's something I need to tell you, several things actually."

"Here, there's a bench, what's wrong?"

"I think... I think I'm falling in love with you," Minerva confessed. Hermione blinked as if unable to believe it.

"I think I might feel the same way," she replied. Minerva bit back her tears. This was going to be so hard, and it had just gotten harder.

"Could I kiss you?" Minerva asked leaning in slightly. The spell had already been cast. The kiss was the catalyst. It would send Hermione back to her own time. She knew she should tell her the truth, but then, then Hermione might say she could stay. Minerva knew it wasn't so.

"Yes," Hermione whispered leaning in. Slowly their lips touched. Minerva felt as though her heart would burst as she felt the air around the pair swirl. She opened her eyes quickly, met Hermione's and broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry, I really am," she whispered as Hermione slowly faded from sight leaving Minerva sitting alone on the cold stone bench outside the Great Hall. She blinked a few times letting the tears fall. She'd done the right thing. She would just have to remember that, she'd done the right thing.


End file.
